Goodbye
by ohiocoolgirl
Summary: A story about our fav BAU team. Tragedy strikes doesn't it always in the land of fanfic. Read on to learn more. I am so not giving away the plot in this summary. Rated T for the typical show violence. Previously published but now with changesnew chapters.
1. Chapter 1

She was having difficulty collecting her thoughts. It was Monday. No, it was Sunday. The last two days seemed like a blur. J.J. sat in the emergency room holding her left wrist. It was only a sprain. She was the lucky one.

A police officer approached J.J. She recognized him. She didn't know his name but remembered seeing him at the police station. She had spent the last day and a half there doing research into the Unsub. She didn't have anything media related yet, so she tried to make herself useful by looking into old case files. She was hoping she could help the team dig up potential suspects. That was a day and a half ago.

"Miss Jareau" the officer quietly addressed her. "I know you probably don't want to talk right now but I need to ask you some questions about the accident."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Two Days Earlier . . .**_

Morgan's left arm swung around to stop his alarm clock from blaring. It didn't go off. It took him half a minute to realize that it wasn't his alarm. Morgan's cell phone continued to ring. He turned over and looked at the clock. It was 3:43 am. They team had just returned from a case the previous afternoon. They hadn't even finished their paperwork. He had hoped they would get some time off. He was wrong.

"Morgan, it's Hotchner. We've got a new case. Be in the office in an hour."

Aaron Hotchner made five additional calls that morning alerting the team to the new case. He hated waking them up in the middle of the night, especially because they had been working non-stop for the last month. Each time they finished a case, another one began. They had actually received a desperate request from a rural community in Alabama while working on a case in Oregon. Agent Hotchner had to inform the local PD that the case would have to wait until their current case was complete. That was a two weeks ago.

Was it because there were two full moons that month? Hotchner wondered. He smiled thinking what Reid would say. "_It's a trick of the mind. There's no statistical correlation between full moons and criminal activities. We simply remember crimes more frequently during lunar cycles_."

At 3:30 am, the team began to stumble into the office. Reid was carrying a large thermos of coffee, griping it as though his life depended on it. Emily and J.J. had their hair pulled up. While J.J. had spent time putting on make-up, Emily looked like she had given up trying to cover up the dark circles under her eyes. The team made their way up to the conference room. Gideon was the last to arrive.

"Sorry Hotch. I went to visit Stephen and his family for dinner last night. We started talking and it was so late by the time we finished, that I decided to spend the night there."

Hotchner couldn't help but smile. Gideon's relationship with his son had been trying. The two stopped speaking regularly when Gideon and his wife divorced. He had never meant to hurt Stephen but he was a workaholic. Family came second. It was only after a case a few years ago that Gideon had reconnected with his son. He had made a list of things he wanted to do before dying. A classic middle-aged task but one that Gideon felt was important. On the list - skydiving. Gideon sprained his ankle. He was on crutches and was forced to stay in the office with Garcia while the team tracked down their Unsub. When the team returned, Gideon confessed that he was near the end of his "to do" list and would need to start another. When Hotchner reminded him there was something he still needed to do, Gideon smiled. He thought Stephen wouldn't want to hear from him. He picked up the phone and called him anyway. He was delighted that Stephen hadn't given up hope. Since then. Gideon had spent a great deal of time getting reacquainted with his son and getting to know Stephen's wife, Rebecca. She reminded him of Stephen's mother.

"The drive from Towson took a little longer than expected. What did I miss?" Gideon asked.

"Nothing yet Gideon," Hotchner replied. We were just about to start.

"Theresa Copeland, Amanda Greives, Allison Turner and Samantha Hopener. All 17 years old. They didn't go to the same high school and apparently did not know one another." Hotchner said as he began to flash crime scene photos up onto the screen.

Hotchner informed them "All of them were raped with a foreign object, throats slit and their bodies discovered at their high schools. The first killing was a year ago. Now they've had three in the last week."

Emily voiced what they all were thinking. "Why the rapid escalation. What was the stressor?"

The team would find out soon enough. Hotchner and Prentiss would look into the first two victims while Gideon and Morgan looked into the last two victims. Reid and J.J. were going to start reviewing victimology to find a common thread between the four young women.

"Wheels up in 45 minutes" Hotchner informed them.

The team collected their file folders and grabbed their bags ready to leave for St. Louis.


	3. Chapter 3

It was 8:13 a.m. when the team arrived in St. Louis.

Morgan slowly exited the plane stretching his arms above his head. He smiled as he thought how close he was to home. He missed seeing his mother and sisters daily. His job was important though. And being that he was with the BAU, he could only work from Quantico, Virginia. Morgan pushed those thoughts to the side. He needed to focus. There were murdered teenagers who needed him. They needed someone to speak on their behalf and, more importantly, they needed justice.

The team split into two groups. Hotcher and Prentiss dropped Reid and J.J. off at the police station since it was on their way to the visit the first victim's family. The group spoke about the case as they made the 25 minute ride to the station. Once they left the station, Hotchner and Prentiss fell into an uncomfortable silence.

Prentiss still called him "sir" though everyone preferred the more amicable "Hotch." Prentiss knew why she felt awkward around him. She needed his approval. She had clawed her way into the unit. She made sure every supervisor at every evaluation knew about her intentions. She wanted to join the BAU. Sure, she probably could have had her mother pull a few strings. Ambassador Prentiss has significant pull in Washington . But, that's not what she wanted. She wanted to make it on her own merit. She needed to succeed and for that, she needed Aaron Hotcher's approval.


	4. Chapter 4

Gideon and Morgan surveyed the scene. The victim was killed behind the boy's locker room. The time of death was estimated to be 12:35 am Saturday morning. No one remembered seeing her at the football game, but then again it was the district semi-finals and the crowd was packed into the stadium. It was the best team the school had in more than 20 years and every high school alumni had come to support their alma mater.

Morgan closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. He began to visualize the scene and Allison's movements before her attack.

"O.k. So maybe she was at the game or maybe she just agreed to meet someone here. It wouldn't be the first time kids made out under the bleachers. Who did she meet? A football player? A boyfriend?"

Gideon looked at the disturbance in the gravel at the scene. There were multiple impressions of various sizes. The only thing Gideon could tell was that there had been a struggle. The girl fought her attacker.

Gideon and Morgan were met by the School's principal, Melissa Clark.

"Thank you for coming. We've been receiving non-stop calls from parents. We've held group sessions with grievance counselors and the school psychologist has met with every one of Allison's friends."

Gideon asked, "What can you tell us about Allison? Was she dating anyone?"

"As far as I know, she was not seeing anyone at the school. Of course, I do know she has a job at the mall. So, perhaps she met someone through work."

"Thank you principal Clark."

" We'll find out who did this" Morgan added before the principal left.

Principal Clark turned around, giving Morgan a small nod in gratitude.

Gideon glared at Morgan wearing a frown of concern. They all hated crimes against children but Morgan took it more personally than most. He still felt the shame of his own abuse as a teenager from a supposed mentor. Morgan never spoke about the event. Like most of the team, he guarded his privacy.

"Let's check out the girl's employer at the mall" Gideon suggested.


	5. Chapter 5

"Do you want some coffee?"

"Hello? Earth to Reid."

"Sorry J.J. I was just reading the autopsy report. The coroner indicates that portions of Samantha Hopener's hair had been cut off?" Reid stated as though it were almost a question.

Did he assume she knew where he was going with this one?

"So…….." J.J asked.

"So cutting hair is typically an act done by female attackers. Not male. There wasn't any DNA found on the victims and the coroner believes the victims were raped with a foreign object. The use of an object could be meant to inflict pain or because the attacker was impotent. But the rape coupled with the cut hair…."

"You think the killer is female" J.J. interrupted.

"Yes. I'll call Hotch" Reid replied.


	6. Chapter 6

"Thanks Reid. Can you call Gideon and Morgan and give them the update? Prentiss and I are at the Copeland's house."

"Sure Hotch," Reid answered.

"Prentiss, it looks like our killer may be female. According to the Reid the girls' had portions of their hair removed."

"Why wasn't that in the reports from the local P.D.?" Emily questioned.

"I don't know. But we have someplace to start with the Copelands."


	7. Chapter 7

"Mr. Anderson, you were Allison's supervisor" Morgan said more of a statement than a question.

"Yes, for the last 6 months when Allison started working here."

"Can you tell us if she was dating anyone, a coworker maybe?"

Gideon rejoined the two, having ended his call with Reid.

"Ummmm. I did see her on her breaks usually with Tom Mathiewson. I don't know if they were dating. But, if they weren't, they were certainly good friends. Tom goes to Valley Forge High School"

"Mr. Anderson" Gideon interrupted, " Had Tom been seeing anyone else?"

"Well, he used to date Rachael Mack, but they broke it off a two months ago. She did not take it well. I can remember her talking about homecoming for months. The dress she was going to wear. How she planned to get her hair and nails done. She was so upset about the ordeal that she called off from work for a few days before homecoming. I just assumed she was heartbroken about not going with Tom and she needed some time off so I didn't give her too much flack about it. It was a Thursday and Friday so we weren't too busy. She came back to work on Saturday and seemed better, happier than she had been in the last month."

"Thank you Mr. Anderson."

"Morgan, call our girl Friday and have her do a check on Rachael Mack and her family. Let's see what we're dealing with before we talk the girl.

"Oracle of Quantico. Speak and be recognized."

"Hey baby girl. I need some info."

"Anything for you, you beautiful behavioral analyst."

"I need a check run on a Rachael Mack. She worked at the mall with one of our victims, Allison Turner."

"Do you want to time me or shall I dazzle you off the clock?"

"Any way you like it."

"That's what I love to hear. O.k. Rachael Mack. She's 17 and has no criminal record. Her parents divorced when she was 7. Apparently daddy was cheating on mommy. She attend Valley Forge High School and has no record but a one police complaint filed. Eight years ago a neighbor claims Rachael killed her cat. There was no proof so the charges were dropped."

"Check to see if she had any connection to the other victims."

"Anything for my tall chocolate god! I will get back to you forthwith."


	8. Chapter 8

"Mrs. Copeland. Thank you for speaking with us."

Sharon Copeland had invited Hotcher and Prentiss to join her in the kitchen while they spoke.

"Can I offer you some coffee, or water perhaps?"

"No thank you Mrs. Copeland. What can you tell us about Theresa. Was she having any problems at school?'

Sharon Copeland was looking over their shoulders at her husband. She didn't appear to be listening. Emily turned around to see she was staring at her husband.

"He hasn't been the same, you know. She was our only child. Since she died, he's been distant. He won't talk to me."

Emily tried to refocus the distraught mother. She wasn't sure how people ever got over this type of thing.

"Mrs. Copeland," Emily said is a soft, empathetic tone. "Can you tell us about Theresa."

Mrs. Copeland refocused on the FBI agents in front of her, tears welling in her eyes.

"I'm sorry agents. What can I tell you?"

Twenty minutes later Hotcher and Prentiss left the Copeland's. They headed back to the police station to meet the rest of the team."


	9. Chapter 9

Hotcher restated the findings.

"So we have a female killer and at least one angry teenage girl, upset over a break-up. She may or may not have psychotic tendencies depending on whether she did have something to do with killing the neighbors cat."

"May have psychotic tendencies?" questioned one of the detectives.

Reid quickly responded, "Dr. Hare's warnings of psychopathy indicate wetting the bed, cruelty to animals and setting fires are early childhood predictors of adult dissociative behavior."

Morgan's stomach began to rumble loudly. Morgan smiled.

"Detective, we haven't had anything to eat since last night. Can you recommend a place for lunch?"

"Sure. There's a great place a five minute drive from here. The best Italian in the city."

The team jumped into the cars. Hotchner driving Morgan and Prentiss with Gideon driving J.J. and Reid. In both cars the team was discussing the case. Even when they weren't working they were working.

"Gideon" J.J. said. "Do you think we might be dealing with more than one killer?"

Gideon began to respond but never finished his sentence. As the SUV began to turn left at the intersection, a loud crash could be heard. Breaking glass. Screeching tires. Screams.


	10. Chapter 10

"J.J. . . . J.J. Are you all right?"

J.J.'s eyes fluttered open and she could hear Hotch calling her name.

"We can't try to move you until the paramedics get here."

J.J. looked over to Gideon. He was groaning. They had been hit on the driver side. Gideon was hunched over the steering column. She looked behind Gideon to see Reid in the back seat. His head was flung forward and there was blood dripping from his forehead. Portions of the metal seemed to be crushing against his lean frame. Morgan was talking to Reid, trying to wake him. Prentiss was speaking to Gideon assuring them that they would be fine.

The paramedics started with J.J. The car had hit on the other side of the SUV so she was the most accessible. They placed a collar around her neck to keep it immobilized until they could get a series of x-rays. As they started to move her from the car she gasped in pain.

"My wrist."

"It's o.k, miss" one of the paramedics said. "It's common for people to automatically put their hands in front of them when they are trying to protect themselves. You may have hyperextend your wrist pushing against the dashboard. We'll check you out at the hospital."

Hotch watched as they loaded J.J. into the ambulance.

"Prentiss. Go with her. Morgan and I will wait for Gideon and Reid."

"Yes sir."

The firefighters were working on pulling off the door on Reid's side. With J.J. moved from the car, another set a paramedics began to attend to Gideon. He was barely conscious. Completely disoriented. He was talking softly. It appeared as though he was giving a profile of the unsub. Hotchner wasn't sure if it was the consummate workaholic in Gideon or if he was purposefully trying to keep himself awake, his mind focused.

As they started to move Gideon he began to moan. Soon after, he lost consciousness.

Hotchner wanted to tell Morgan to go with Gideon. He was worried about Reid. But, he knew Morgan wouldn't leave Reid, even if ordered to do so. Hotchner climbed into the ambulance with Gideon still thinking about Reid and Morgan.

Morgan saw Spencer as the little brother he never had. Morgan had spent time talking to him about his nightmares, his insecurities and even women - a subject that still perplexed Reid. Spencer has missed a lot, growing up faster than he needed to. He was at university and caring for his mother when most boys were just starting to notice the fairer sex. It was safe to say, women still scared Reid. He was uncomfortable with them, not knowing what to do or say around them. He could talk to a group of detectives about an unsub but had no idea what to say to women.

Hotchner remembered how Gideon had given Reid tickets to a Redskins game so that he could ask J.J. out with him. Reid had a hopeless crush on the effervescent blonde. Neither spoke of the date. Hotchner wondered what had happened. He was removed from those thoughts when the ambulance came to a stop. They were at the hospital.


	11. Chapter 11

Morgan kept talking to Reid. He was unconscious but Morgan did it more to calm himself more than to get Reid to respond.

A firefighter yelled out "We're there!"

As they removed the door, another said "Oh god."

Panic began to consume Morgan. What was wrong. He moved others aside so that he could see what the paramedics were doing. That's when he saw what had concerned the men. There was a pool of blood in Reid's lap. It appeared as a piece of metal had pierced his left thigh. It was bleeding profusely.

"He's nicked an artery. We need to move fast!"

Morgan was frozen with fear. Reid was in trouble and there was nothing he could do. There was no unsub to tackle, no car to chase. He could only helplessly watch as the paramedics did their best to control the bleeding.


	12. Chapter 12

"Agent Hotchner?"

"Yes."

"Dr. Bethany Addams."

"What can you tell me about my team."

"Agent Jareau hit her head but there's no concussion. She has a sprained left wrist but will be fine." She'll be discharged within the hour."

"What can you tell me about Agent Gideon."

"We've moved Agent Gideon to surgery. He has internal bleeding. We need to repair his kidney. He also has a few cracked ribs and a concussion. You'll need to contact his family in case we need to make other medical decisions on his behalf."

"Thank you doctor."

Hotchner was about the move back to his uncomfortable plastic chair in the waiting area when he saw the paramedics rush though the bay doors.

"26 year old male FBI agent. Lacerations to the head and left thigh. Heavy bleeding and blood loss at the scene. BP 90 over 60 and dropping."

Morgan came running in behind the gurney. Mouth open, he watched as they moved Reid into a room and began to work on him. They cut off his shirt and pants and donned a sterile drape over him. The inserted an I.V. and began to give him blood. They inserted a nasal canula, listened to his heart and began shooting x-rays.

Hotchner gently placed a hand on Morgan's shoulder.

"Let's have seat while we wait. J.J. will be discharged soon. Gideon's in surgery. "

Morgan sighed as he sat. He placed his head in his hands as he crunched over in his chair.

Hotchner called Garcia.

Garica answered "Speak, O' fortunate one."

"Garica, I need some emergency contact information."

Her eyes began to well up with tears as Hotchner filled her in on the events if the last hour.


	13. Chapter 13

J.J. wandered out to the waiting area. She looked like she was in a daze. They called her name out three times before she heard them.

"What?"

"JJ, are you ok?"

"Yeah. Of course. Fine."

Morgan guided her to a seat next to him. He told her about Gideon and Reid. She leaned against him, resting her head against Morgan's shoulder. A single tear fell down her check. She wept silently.

A police officer approached J.J. She recognized him. She didn't know his name but remembered seeing him at the police station.

"Miss Jareau" the officer quietly addressed her. "I know you probably don't want to talk right now but I need to ask you some questions about the accident."

J.J. told him what she could recall. It just seemed to happen so quickly. By the time she saw the other vehicle, it was too late. Nothing could be done. She wasn't even sure Gideon saw the other car. He and Reid had been talking about the case. The next thing she remembered, she could hear Hotch calling her name and she could hear sirens in the distance. By the time she finished talking to the officer, she was trembling and she was wiping tears from her cheeks.

Several hours went by until the doctor appeared again.

"Agent Gideon is in recovery. He's resting and will need to be monitored for the next 72 hours."

Hotchner released the breath he didn't know he had been holding.

"What can you tell us about Agent Reid?"

"He's still in surgery to remain the nicked artery. They controlled the bleeding and are doing a full evaluation to ensure there is no internal bleeding."

"Thank you doctor."


	14. Chapter 14

Gideon wasn't fully aware as to where he was. His head was pounding and he side was hurting. The gaggle of noises started to become more focused. He peeled his eyes open slowly. He was in a hospital. He began to collect his thoughts, remembering the accident. Were the other alright, he wondered.

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"I think we're ready to close."

"Pressure is steady doctor."

"You're very lucky, Agent Reid."

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Morgan's cell phone rang, again. The charge nurse kept giving him evil looks. Cellular phones were not permitted to be used in the hospital. He didn't even check the caller ID. He knew it would be Garcia. She had been calling every half hour for an update. He sighed as he rose to walk outside. Again, he had no news to give her.


	15. Chapter 15

The heart monitors began to beep. Machines were sounding, alarms indicating erratic heart rhythms.

The doctor began to listen to his heart.

"Sat's are down to 80" a nurse yelled out.

"We're going to scan him for a pulmonary embolism. Bolus 5000 heparin. Start a drip at 1000 an hour" the doctor ordered.

Looking at the scan, the doctor sees it.

"Right pulmonary artery. Get angiography down here for a filter."

The machines began to sound again.

"BP's down to 60, pulse ox 72" a nurse calls out.

"No carotid pulse."

"Dammit, he's thrown another clot. Start chest compressions."


	16. Chapter 16

The doctor made his way down to the team. He regretted having to delivery the news. Such a waste of a life. And for what. A traffic accident.

As he moved toward the man's friends, he pulled the scrub hat off his head.

JJ only heard bits and pieces. "Extensive damage…… best effort…..unable to prevent to blood clot…. sorry for their loss." How could she work without this man. Always putting so much of himself into his work. With everything that happened to him, still he wanted to help others.

Morgan called Garcia. Hotch called Haley and Stephen. There was only one other person to tell and he was in recovery. The two of them had been so close - one needing a surrogate father, the other a substitute for a son. How would they tell him?


	17. Chapter 17

Prentiss, Morgan, J.J. and Hotchner approached the ICU. The doctors said the head injury had caused some swelling. Reid could be unconscious for at least 24 to 36 hours. It was decided that J.J. would stay with him. The remainder of the team would continue to work the case until another team could take over.

J.J. sat by Reid's bedside. She held his hand tenderly. She was thinking about how they would tell Reid about Gideon. There was no way to know Gideon would have a pulmonary embolism. She smiled slightly, tears trailing down her face. She was sure Reid would know the statistics regarding post surgery complications by age group and type of injury. She gasped, taking in short bursts of air. She laid her head down on Reid's bed and cried herself to sleep.

J.J. dreamed happy memories of Gideon. The birthday hat Gideon insisted Reid wear on his 24th birthday, the way he teased Morgan about getting his groove thing going, the black and white film he had shown the team. J.J. slept until a nurse woke her and told her visiting hours were over. She begged to stay with Reid. The charge nurse informed her only family members were allowed to stay with patients in the ICU.

"I'm his fiancee."

The nurse looked suspicious.

"I thought you were a coworker?"

J.J.'s hands were below the bed. While she was talking to the nurse, she took a gold ring on her right hand and slid it onto her left hand.

"I am a coworker" J.J. answered as she flashed the ring on her left hand at the nurse.

"Well, all right then."

J.J. hoped Reid wouldn't mind the lie. The truth was, J.J. didn't know how she felt. The date she went on with Reid was awkward. He was so shy and quiet. But, he was a gentleman. Reid had opened her car door and paid for their refreshments. He had walked her to her door at the end of the date. J.J. hadn't expected anything but as she was fumbling with her keys, Reid had moved closer to her. He placed two fingers gently under her chin to lift her face upward. He brushed his lips lightly against hers. The kiss was chaste but it had left her flushed. They didn't have another date and they never discussed it.

J.J. smiled at the memory. She put her head back onto the bed and fell back asleep.


End file.
